Liquid dribbler for toilet training



Aug. 2, 1960 mii N "a IIII IIN I s i Efllll. llll. a

l.. l. M ccRARY LIQUID DRIBBLER FOR TOILET TRAINING Filed Aug. s. 1959 INVENTOR I o/a /vers Mcmry ATTORNEYS LIQUID DRIBBLER FOR TOILET TRAININ Lola Ivers McCrary, 206 NW. 17th, YGrand Prairie, Tex.` Filed Aug. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 832087 Y i 7 Claims. (ci. :ss-17) This invention relates tonew and useful Aimprovements in liquid dribblers. f

There are numerous instances in theV medical treatment and hospital care of patients in which normal iluid elim-` ination is impeded or .interrupted for some reason, such occurrences usually taking place with obstetrical patients, postoperative patients, patients under nervous tension, and for various other reasons. 'Ihe normal procedure is to employ a catheter in order to withdraw uids as well as to encourage the resumption of the normal urinary processes, Vbut it has been established that the sight of dripping or pouring water aswell as the sound of a trickle or dribble of water falling .into a pool of Water. is conducive to normal resumption of the patientsurination processes without requiring catheterization. Accordingly, it has sometimes been the practice to utilize a pitcherof water and a water glass and to pour the water from the pitcher repeatedly into the glass in the presence ofthe patient in order to stimulate normal urination.. Such an improvised process, of course, has its drawbacks .in that it is of less electiveness than might .bedesired and in that the attendance of a nurse or other hospital personnel isrequired. There is also the well known problem 'of training small children to proper toilet habits, and here again, the water pouring process has been employed with varying degrees of success.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved liquid dribbler which is completely enclosed and self-contained, which is very quickly placed in operation and which may be employed repeatedlyby a patient or by the parent of -a child with a minimum of attention and with avoidance of all possibilityof spilling the water or other liquid employed in order to train or reestablish a person in normal urinary action. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a of the character described whichmay. befabricated in a dual form for. quicker operation, which may be fabricated of any suitable or desirable materials, which may be transparent or have transparent sections to provide the sight of the liquid trickle or stream, and which may be made in theform of various animals, dolls, and the. like so as to be attractive to small children.

Other and more particular objects of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description and an examination of the accompanying drawing.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

'Ihe invention will be more readily understood from a `reading of the following speciicationand by reference ,to the accompanying drawing, wherein examples of the invention are shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a liquid dribbler constructed to carry out this invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view of the liquid dribbler taken at right angles to Fig. l, upon the line 2--2 of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

device j nited States of the configuration of the upper portion of the enclosure Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view of a modied form f of the invention.

2,947,091 Y "j Patented Aug. 2,'1960 2 This application is a continuation-impart of my `co-` pending application, Serial No. 758,620, tiled September 2, 1958*, and now abandoned.

In the drawings,the numeral 10 designates a lhollow upright enclosure Yor container of generallycylindrical configuration and formed of anyv suitable or desirable material such `as fmet'al, glass, Asyntlietic resins, 'and the like. As will appear morefully hereinafter, it is important that atleast the central portion of the enclosure 10 be transparent from front to back, and for this reason,

the front cent-ral portion 11 of the enclosure 10 as well as the'back central portion or panel 12 should beformed of glass or, transparent plastic or the like. In many instances, `the outer surface of the enclosure 10 may be desirably formed as asimulationof a small animal or doll,` or other suitable'imaginary or caricature-type figure, and accordingly, it is most convenient to form the enclosure of a transparent synthetic resin which may be molded in two half sections in the desired shape and the sections then joined together by cementing, fusing, or welding. Of course, many methods of molding such an enclosure and of sealing the same are known to the art and any suitable methods of manufacture may be employed. The upper and lower portions of the enclosure may be colored or coated as desired toenhance the simulation of a small gure, such as an animal, and the enclosure may otherclosure'securely in an upright position with minimum likelihood' of toppling.

, In the upper end of the enclosure 10 is provided an open-top cup 114 which may be cemented, welded, or otherwise suitably secured in position, or which, by reason 10 may simply be shaped so as to be heldin position within the upper end of the enclosure as, for instance, by shaping to `conform to the inside vsurface ofthe head portion ofthe figurine illustrated in Figs. l and'2. The sidewalls of Athe cup 14 are provided with a number offlutes or grooves 15 forming passages through which water or other liquids may quickly and readily ow so as to enter into the open upper end of the cup 14, and the bottom-16 of the cup is formed with a slightly conical shape with a central restricted aperture 17 through which Water may trickle or drain.Y The closed bottom- 13 of the enclosure 10, of course, forms a receptacle in which a small bodyV of water`or other'suitable liquid may collect and into which the water may dribble or trickle through the opening 17. A quantity of water or other liquid 18 is sealed within the enclosure 10, :and it is to be noted that the volume of liquid 18 may vary considerably as well as the overall dimensions and size in addition to the coniiguration of the enclosure 10.

In operation, the enclosure is inverted momentarily to cause the water 18 to iiow downwardly through the grooves l15 and enter into the open upper side of the cup 14. The enclosure is then set upright upon the base 13 whereupon the water immediately commences to pass downwardly through the drain aperture 17 and to fall in drops or in a small stream into the body of water remaining in the lower portion of the enclosure. Normally, more than sufficient Water to till the cup 14 will be sealed within the enclosure 10, or not lall of the water will pass into the cup so that upon the repositioning of the enclosure some quantity of water will immediately fall to the bottom thereof to commence Athe water dribbling phenomenon at once as well as to providea small quantity of Water into which the stream or drops flowing from the aperture 17 may fall. Thus, both the sight of the water stream as well as the sound of the dribbling water is obtained immediately, and this sight and sound of dribbling water will continue so long as any water remains in the cup 14. Thereupon, the enclosure may again be momentarily inverted and thenvset upon itsbase, and this procedure repeated indefinitely without limit so as to continue the beneficial sight and sound of dribbling water over as long las period of time as may be necessary or desirable. Y 1

It is pointed out that the grooves 11S, although preferable, may not be essential in that the cup 14 may tit loosely enough within the upper end of the enclosure as to permit the upward passage of water around the side walls of the cup even though the grooves 15 are omitted. In most instances, however, it is desirable that the grooves 15 be utilized for more positive and rapid filling of the cup 14. Y

It is lclear that there can be no spillage of the water since it is completely sealed within the enclosure 10, that the structure may be designed so -as to attract a small child in the same manner as an animal figure or doll, that accidental tipping over of the enclosure will not result in the spilling of any water, and that, if the enclosure is for-med of a suitable synthetic resin, it becomes substantially indestructible through such accidents as tipping over or dropping of the enclosure.

A modiiication of the invention is shown in Fig. 4, this structure being essentially the same in function and purpose as that previously described but being in the nature of a dual or double-acting unit which will function t0 provide the sight and sound of dribbling water upon each inversion of the unit. The modification includes a sealed, cylindrical enclosure or container 19 having closed ends 20 and containing a suitable quantity of-water or other liquid 21. In each end of the enclosure l0 is mounted an open cup 22 having grooves 23 in their side walls and being provided with a central aperture 24 in their bottom walls. 19 is inverted, a quantity of water will be trapped in one of the oups 22 and will trickle downwardly through the aperture 24 to tall into the -body of water in the lower end of the enclosure, the sight and sound of the dribbling water being readily observed through the thin transparent side walls of the enclosure 19. Y

This modified form of the invention is particularly adapted for use in hospitals and other localities for the treatment or training of post-operative patients and the like in order to stimulate the resumption of normal urination processes and avoid the necessity for catheterization which, at best, is often only a temporary solution to the existing problem. the patient, thus eliminating the need for a nurse or attendant to be present, the sight and sound of dribbling water is instituted with a minimum of effort and movement, and the process may, of course, he continued so long as desired.

The foregoing description of the invention is eX- planatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

ll. A liquid dribbler for stimulating normal urinary action including, a closed container adapted to receive a quantity of liquid and having a base portion for SUPPQI- ing the container in an upright position, yand an open top compartment in the upper portion of the container. with means for conducting liquid from the lower portion of the container into the compartment, the compartment having its lower portion communicating with Ythe lower portion of the container through a restricted aperture, Vat least the medial portion of the opposed walls of the container being transparent.

Quite obviously, each time the enclosure Such a unit is readily manipulated by 2. A liquid dribbler for stimulating normal urinary action including, a closed container adapted to receive a quantity of liquid and having la base portion for supporting the container in :an upright position, and an open top cup supported in the upper portion of the container and having means for conducting liquid from the lower portion of the container into the cup upon inverting of the container, the cup having a restricted aperture in its bottom for returning liquid from the cup to the lower portion of the container in a dribble when the container is returned to an upright position, at least the medial portion of opposed walls of the container being transparent for visual observation of the dribble.

3. A liquid dribbler as set forth in claim 2 wherein the liquid conducting means include grooves formed -between the side walls of the cup and the container.

4. A liquid dribbler as set forth in claim 2 wherein the bottom of the cup is dished.

5. A liquid dribbler for stimulating normal urinary action including, a closed container adapted to receive a quantity of liquid and having a base portion for supporting the container in an upright position, and means forming a compartment with a bottom wall in the upper portion of the container, the compartment having means for conducting liquid from the lower portion of the container into the compartment upon inverting the container while precluding the return of liquid from the compartment to the container upon return of the container to an upright position, the bottom wall of the compartment having a restricted aperture therein for returning liquid from the compartment to the lower portion of the container in a dribble, at least the medial portion of opposed walls of the container being transparent for visual observation of the dribble.

6. A liquid dribbler for stimulating normal urinary action including, a closed container adapted to receive a quantity of liquid and having opposed end walls so constructed and arranged that the container may be supported in an upright position upon either end wall, and means forming with each end wall a compartment, each compartment having means for conducting liquid from the container into that compartment upon positioning the dribbler so that the compartment is below the opposite compartment while precluding the return of liquid from the said compartment upon return of the container to an upright position, each compartment having in one wall a restricted aperture for returning liquid from the compartment to the container in a dribble, at least the medial portions of the side walls of the container being transparent.

7. A liquid dribbler for stimulating normal urinary action including, a closed container adapted to receive a quantity of liquid and having opposed end walls joined by a side wall, the end walls being so constructed and arranged that the container may be supported on one end wall in an upright position and on the opposite end wall in an inverted position, and means forming with the end Walls a compartment in each end of the container, each compartment having means for conducting liquid into the compartment while precluding return of liquid from that compartment to the container, each compartment having a restricted aperture in one wall for returning liquid from that compartment to the container n a dribble, at least the medial section of opposed portions of the side wall being transparent for visual observation of the liquid dribble.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Graham May-A20, ,1958 

